LiberatED Podcast

39:05

Progress in Medicine: A New Kind of Summer Program...

LiberatED Podcast ·

2026/01/30

In this episode of LiberatED, Kerry McDonald is joined by Heike Larson, Vice President of Programs at the Roots of Progress Institute, and Dr. Laura Mazer, a surgeon and curriculum lead for the Institute's new summer program, Progress in Medicine 2026. Together, they explore a bold new model for summer teen learning that blends medical history, future innovation, mentorship, and personal development. Designed for rising high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors, Progress in Medicine 2026 combines

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47:47

A New Orleans Microschool Success Story

LiberatED Podcast ·

2026/01/27

On this episode of LiberatED, host Kerry McDonald sits down with Emily Barnitz, founder of Zoe Learning House, a fast-growing hybrid homeschool program in New Orleans, Louisiana. Emily shares her journey from being homeschooled herself to becoming a public school teacher—and ultimately launching Zoe Learning House in fall 2024 with just 10 students in her living room. Eighteen months later, the program now serves 50 students across kindergarten through fourth grade, with plans to expand to fifth

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38:59

Inside NuVu's Studio-Style High School

LiberatED Podcast ·

2026/01/20

What if high school was designed more like a creative studio than a traditional classroom? In this episode of LiberatED, Kerry McDonald spotlights NuVu High School in Cambridge, Massachusetts, a distinctive, studio-style school for students in grades 7 to 12. Kerry speaks with NuVu co-founder Saba Ghole and NuVu Director of Admissions Karen Sutton about NuVu's remarkable evolution—from a community laboratory partnering with local schools and homeschoolers to a fully recognized private high school

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46:52

A Primer on the Push for Educational Freedom, with...

LiberatED Podcast ·

2026/01/13

In this episode of LiberatED, Kerry McDonald is joined by Neal McCluskey, Director of the Center for Educational Freedom at the Cato Institute, and co-editor of the new book Fighting for the Freedom to Learn: Examining America's Centuries-Old School Choice Movement, to explore the history of educational freedom in the U.S. Neal also talks about the Public Schooling Battle Map that he maintains, and explains how allowing families to choose learning environments aligned with their values has long

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32:33

How Two Moms Built a Homeschool Resource Hub for 80+...

LiberatED Podcast ·

2026/01/06

In this episode of the LiberatED Podcast, Kerry McDonald is joined by Christina Stead and Hanna Lay, two homeschool mothers from St. George, Utah. Together they founded Desert Blossom Resource Center, a nonprofit created to support homeschooling families through community-led resources, monthly panel discussions, local events, and a growing online hub that now connects more than 80 families across southern Utah. Originally envisioned as a physical community space, Desert Blossom has evolved into a

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49:50

ENCORE: Whole Foods Co-Founder John Mackey on the...

LiberatED Podcast ·

2025/12/30

In this reload of one of our most popular episodes, Whole Foods co-founder John Mackey shares his founder story, explaining why conscious capitalism leads to profound good in the world and offering tips for today's education entrepreneurs. Here's one gem from the interview: "If you can make a profit, it proves that your business model is good," said Mackey. "That's the way you could do the most good in the world. That's the beauty of capitalism . . . If you have a good school, we need more of them

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42:01

Designing A Life—and a School—Around Family, Farm,...

LiberatED Podcast ·

2025/12/23

In this episode of LiberatED, Kerry McDonald speaks with Talon and Travis Holleman, co-founders of Roots Farm and Forest School in Delaware. What began as a small homeschool co-op during the pandemic has grown into a thriving, nature-based learning ecosystem serving more than 1,000 students through microschool programs, homeschool enrichment, after-school offerings, and seasonal camps. Talon and Travis share their personal journey from successful corporate careers into homeschooling, and why

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34:52

From Homeschooling to Microschooling: Bonnie Bradshaw...

LiberatED Podcast ·

2025/12/16

In this episode of the LiberatED Podcast, Kerry McDonald talks with Bonnie Bradshaw, a longtime homeschool mom and the founder of Royal Oak Academy, a student-centered K-7 microschool in Suffolk, Virginia. Bonnie shares how her years of homeschooling shaped her educational philosophy and ultimately inspired her to create a learning environment that prioritizes curiosity, autonomy, and individual growth. She discusses the transition from educating her own children at home to launching a microschool

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35:07

From Fighter Pilot to Founder: How Ali Ghaffari Is...

LiberatED Podcast ·

2025/12/09

In this week's episode of the LiberatED Podcast, Kerry McDonald interviews Ali Ghaffari, founder of Divine Mercy Academy, a K–8 classical Catholic school in Pasadena, Maryland, and now Executive Director of the St. John Henry Newman Institute, an organization dedicated to accelerating the renewal of Catholic education worldwide. Ali's path to school founding is anything but ordinary. After graduating from Colby College, he spent 20 years in the U.S. Navy as an F/A-18 fighter pilot before teaching

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47:41

Starting A Church To Start A School: The Magnolia...

LiberatED Podcast ·

2025/12/02

This week on the LiberatED Podcast, Kerry McDonald speaks with Tara Famularo-Del Bianco, a former attorney who spent nearly 15 years representing abused and neglected children in New York City before making a dramatic shift into education entrepreneurship. Today, she is the founder of The Magnolia Schoolhouse, a thriving Montessori-inspired microschool in Vero Beach, Florida, that serves 75+ students through 8th grade and blends homeschooling with flexible, part-time, in-person learning. Her founder

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26:34

Building A Vermont Microschool: Susan Yao's Journey...

LiberatED Podcast ·

2025/11/25

This week on the LiberatED Podcast, Kerry McDonald talks with Susan Yao, founder of Vermont Village School in Brattleboro, Vermont, about her inspiring journey from progressive educator to microschool creator. After earning an undergraduate degree from Harvard College, Susan worked for several years as a teacher and school administrator in a variety of educational settings. The pandemic led her family to move from Massachusetts to Vermont to begin homesteading and homeschooling. It also led the way

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47:03

Inside A Wildflower School: Imani Jackson on Opening...

LiberatED Podcast ·

2025/11/18

This week on the LiberatED Podcast, Kerry McDonald talks with educator-turned-entrepreneur Imani Jackson, founder of Poinciana Montessori in Philadelphia and part of the Wildflower Montessori Network. Imani shares her remarkable journey from a classroom teacher in both public and private schools, to Montessori microschool founder—sparked by her own daughter's experience with Montessori-inspired home learning during the pandemic. Imani reflects on discovering Montessori education, pursuing her

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56:41

Crossover Special: LiberatED & Teacher, Let Your...

LiberatED Podcast ·

2025/11/11

In this special LiberatED and Teacher, Let Your Light Shine! crossover episode, Kerry McDonald and Makenzie Oliver share how teachers are transforming from classroom educators to microschool founders. Hear Makenzie's inspiring story and Kerry's insights from Joyful Learning on freedom, entrepreneurship, and reimagining education. *** Sign up for Kerry's free, weekly email newsletter on education trends at edentrepreneur.org. Kerry's latest book, Joyful Learning: How to Find Freedom, Happiness, and

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47:52

Cupola Academy: A Modern Model for Self-Directed,...

LiberatED Podcast ·

2025/11/04

Kerry McDonald speaks with Julia Bergson-Shilcock and Mike Hilbert, founders of Cupola Academy, a secular learning community in Pennsylvania serving homeschooling families through part-time, in-person programs. Drawing from decades in alternative education—and Julia's own unschooling background—they share how Cupola fosters autonomy, collaboration, and a lifelong love of learning. The conversation explores what's changed in the self-directed education movement over the past 20 years, how alumni

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44:39

Helping Teens Thrive with Schooling Alternatives

LiberatED Podcast ·

2025/10/28

Joel Hammon—former public school teacher, founder of Princeton Learning Cooperative, co-founder of Liberated Learners, and author of The Teacher Liberation Handbook—joins Kerry to explore the global rise of self-directed learning centers. These community-based programs, including the Princeton Learning Cooperative and many more within the Liberated Learners network, offer homeschooled tweens and teens a flexible alternative to conventional school: no forced curriculum and an individualized path

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33:38

From Speech Pathologist to School Founder: A New...

LiberatED Podcast ·

2025/10/21

After years as a speech pathologist in public schools, Lauren Capelli founded Sacred Haven Homeschool Collective, a Christian hybrid homeschool program in Camden County, New Jersey. In this episode, Lauren shares how she turned burnout into purpose, building a personalized, community-based program for roughly two dozen students. She and Kerry discuss curriculum design, individualized learning, outcomes and accountability, and advice for entrepreneurial parents and educators ready to create something

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35:29

How a New Mexico Microschool Is Redefining High School

LiberatED Podcast ·

2025/10/14

Kerry McDonald sits down with Kerry Baldwin, co-founder of Vita Nova Academy, a micro-high school in Albuquerque, New Mexico built on Socratic practice and passion-driven learning. Baldwin shares how Vita Nova pairs seminar-style inquiry with a skills-based framework and a partnership with the Mastery Transcript Consortium, helping teens show real evidence of mastery—communication, research, critical thinking—tied to their interests. The conversation digs into aligning parent expectations with what

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38:42

Flourish Schools Founder John Danner on Joyful,...

LiberatED Podcast ·

2025/10/07

John Danner, co-founder and CEO of Flourish Schools, joins Kerry McDonald to discuss how his new Nashville-based microschool network is reimagining middle school education. Drawing on his experience founding Rocketship Public Schools, Danner explains how Flourish uses AI to automate foundational learning while empowering teachers to focus on students’ “superpowers” — curiosity, communication, and leadership. He and Kerry explore the balance between technology and humanity in education, the promise

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34:37

Hybrid Schools on the Rise: Insights from Professor...

LiberatED Podcast ·

2025/10/03

In this episode of the LiberatED podcast, Kerry McDonald is joined by Professor Eric Wearne, director of the National Hybrid Schools Project at Kennesaw State University, to explore the rapid growth of hybrid schooling. They discuss the historical roots of hybrid schooling, the post-COVID surge in new school launches, and what makes hybrid schools distinct from both traditional schools and homeschooling. Professor Wearne shares new research on teacher hiring preferences, school size and structure,

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27:26

How a Former Public School Teacher Founded Wisdom...

LiberatED Podcast ·

2025/09/30

In this episode of the LiberatED Podcast, Kerry McDonald welcomes Jamie Musacchio, founder of Wisdom Warehouse, a microschool that began in Dubai and now thrives in Miami. Jamie shares her journey from over a decade in public school classrooms in New York City and Washington, DC to launching an innovative microschool model that blends rigorous academics with daily creative workshops. She discusses the philosophy behind Wisdom Warehouse—child-centered, project-based learning in small class sizes—and

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